Dana's Dark Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
• 16 ounces dark chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup brown rice cereal

Directions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat sheet and set aside. Toast hazelnuts in a dry pan until warmed and fragrant. Let the nuts cool, then chop and set chopped pieces aside.

In a double boiler, slowly melt chocolate, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon; add brown rice cereal and mix gently. Pour mixture onto lined baking sheet and smooth out evenly into a rectangular shape (it doesn't have to be perfect).

Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and set aside for 1 to 2 hours (or 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge) until chocolate hardens. Break into pieces and serve.

Nutrition Info (per piece);
Calories: 120; Total Fat: 8 grams; Saturated Fat: 4 grams; Total Carbohydrate: 11 grams; Protein: 2 grams; Sodium: 28 milligrams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Fiber: 2 grams

Notes

Variation: Flavor your chocolate with just the vanilla, omit the brown rice cereal and top with 1/3 cup slivered almonds and 1/3 cup dried cherries and chopped dried apricots.

Tip: Wrap bark in decorative cellophane bags and give as a gift. You can store the bark in the freezer for up to a month.

Cherry, Almond & Apricot Nutrition Info (per piece):
Calories: 110; Total Fat: 7 grams; Saturated Fat: 4 grams; Total Carbohydrate: 11 grams; Protein: 1 gram; Sodium: 12 milligrams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Fiber: 2 grams
Recipe courtesy Dana Angelo White from The Food Network